Southern California vs. Houston
 

I was wondering if those who know both Houston and southern California (San Diego and Santa Barbara) can provide comparisons (pros and cons) as far as living in each of these cities.

I am considering a move out of NY to either, and so far have only visited San Diego/Santa Barbara. I loved it but was saddened by what seemed to be a very expensive part of the country.

My criteria are year-round good weather, affordable cost of living (by middle class standards), dash of culture, and laid back and friendly people.

Thank you.

You'll find more affordable housing in Houston. Other than that, I can't think of anything else to recommend it over San Diego or Santa Barbara.

If you're willing to forego the "dash of culture" in your immediate neighborhood, many great coastal towns exist along the CA coast. Pismo Beach, Cambria, Morro Bay etc on the central coast, and Vista etc in San Diego County.

Cost of living and housing costs are going to strongly favor Houston. Also, Houston is a much larger city than San Diego and can offer a better cltural life. Santa Barbara and coastal San Diego will have better weather (Houston is unbearable in the summer), but you pay dearly to live there. As for scenery, the California cities are the best.

You should visit Houston before you make a decision.

You can live close to downtown in Houston without paying a fortune. Look at www.har.com to get an idea. Houston is not expensive, has great cheap restaurants, wonderful museums, an ethnically diverse population, a great art scene, good baseball team, friendly people, and disgusting summer weather.

These are weird cities to compare. Houston is totally different than Santa Barbara and San Diego. Santa Barbara is beautiful and unaffordable by almost anyone's standards. San Diego is on the coast, has great weather and would be nice if you could afford it. Houston is less expensive but is lacking of charm and beauty. There is a world of difference between Texas and Southern California. These are odd cities to be comparing.

Oops. Sorry I repeated myself, beginning and end. Why are you looking at these three cities? I can understand falling for S. Barbara and S. Diego, but why consider Houston?

Visit Houston in the summer if possible. The heat and humidity are pretty bad all summer. Although you may be used to that in NY, I think (not sure) it's worse heat wise in the summer. As a native Californian, I'd pay the money to keep our nice weather. :-)

Don't go to Houston. I left NYC for Houston 25 years ago, and spent five weeks there before moving on. It was horrible. So hot and humid it was sickening to go outside, and roaches everywhere. I hated it and couldn't get out of there fast enough.

my perspective (having lived 13 years in houston and 5 years in LA) is:

- houston is cheap. WAY CHEAP.

- houston's weather is NOT good year round. most days you're pushing mid-to-upper 80's if not 90's with high high high humidity. you get a thunderstorm a week (at least), many times with flooding. and then you get hurricanes and tornados from time to time

-socal's weather truly is great year round, particularly in san diego and santa barbara

- you definitely get more culture in socal, however, houston has some serious ballet, opera, museums, symphony, etc. (all that stuff floats my boat) but ya gotta be downtown to enjoy it, and that can be a pain coming in from the sprawling 'burbs

- houstonians are laid back and friendly, that's for sure. when i first moved out to LA, i thought everyone needed to take a xanax or prozac. seriously.

other things to consider- your religion (if any) and your job.

texas is a pretty religious place and it can be hard to be an "outsider" if you're don't believe in jesus. growing up there, i was told repeatedly that i wasn't a christian because i'm "catholic." religion is a big deal to texans and your kids can pay a price if you're not a religious family.

if you make good money, i would move to socal.

Hi tonianyc..
I have good friends that lived on their boat in SD and moved to Houston last year..we were all stumped as to why anyone would want to go from one extreme to the other and after they got settled they called us and were basically crying saying "Why didn't we rent for the summer"? The said it was the most horrific weather they have ever experienced and even though it was so much cheaper than SD, they regret their decision so very much..
Real Estate is very cheap in Houston and the people are lovely but I suggest if you are considering Houston that you rent in the summer so you know what you are up against..there is also so many wonderful towns from here to SB..the market is softening but real estate is expensive here for a reason...its gorgeous!

Well said Tahiti Tams. My daughter is in law school in Austin. While she likes Austin, those long hot summers are getting on her nerves. She is applying for summer internships on the west, and to "guest" at one of our bay area law schools for her 3rd year. Her husband is a native Californian also so he will be happy. I may retire out of state in 10 years, but it would be on the west coast (maybe Portland).

I'm in agreement with some of the other posters. Come to Houston and check us out! We are certainly hospitable!

Yes, it is hot in the summer. Humid too. But... you sure won't miss shoveling snow and our housing is affordable!

Do you have particular questions about Houston that I can try to answer? (tomorrow - bedtime soon)

Do you have a job prospect in either city? Would either city lend to more job possibilities?

Do you have friends or family near any of the comparison cities?

Oh, I don't have roaches/pests but I do have the exterminator come out on a 4 month rotation.

I will confess to some ants in the flowerbed though.

I can live wherever I like in the US and I chose Houston. It is one of the most affordable large cities in the US and is quite diverse and most convenient. I like to visit Southern California, but I cannot imagine living there. Save your money and grow wealthy in Houston; you can always visit So Cal..

Prop 13 is one of the main reasons I would never consider moving to California. If you are not one of the landed gentry who owned property prior to Prop 13, or at least the recent bubble, you will find yourself funding the incredibly expensive liabilities of this state while your more established neighbors pay a fraction of your obligation due to tax caps. If everyone had to pay property taxes at the market rate in California you would likely see much more affordable housing. Tax caps essentially turn long time residents into squatters of a sort from a tax standpoint. This in turn reduces the supply of properties for sale, especially in the more established areas driving prices up.

As for the weather, I don't enjoy the summer months here, but I definitely prefer Houston to Southern California in the winter months when the temperatures can be too chilly for me.

Thanks everyone for your replies. To answer your questions:

Why is Houston on the "list"?

1) Well, I had heard about the low housing costs. The sense of urgency in leaving New York is that I don't want to continue paying rent (I currently rent an apartment in Broklyn, but from family who cut me a pretty big break - I know this can't go on forever).

2)I'm too nice for New York. I want to be in a friendly city where people say hello, are generally laid back, and not driven by greed and so forth.

3)Warm weather, although I did hear about those humid summers. I think this would be alright, as it's proabably better than 5 months of cold winter.

4)My best friend just moved there, so I would at least know someone.

I didn't realize it's a heavily Christian place. Not sure how I would feel about that. I'm Catholic, sort of practicing, but moreso spiritual than religious.

I have varied work experience (had a grasshopper syndrome in the 20s, in combination administrative/financial jobs) but will have an MBA soon so my job opps are pretty open.

I plan on visiting Houston in Februray so I'll have a better benchmark then, for now was curious as to your feedback
and they've been great.

I loved Santa Barbara, but know that beauty comes with a price...visited the SAnta Ynez Valley, Solvang, etc. how gorgeous!

Fdecarlo, I think you are right and I should look into some of the coastal towns you mentioned in California.

It's so tough deciding on where to spend the next phase of your life!
But thanks for all your inputs so far.

There's a reason California is so expensive... it's REALLY nice there!

A Feb. visit wouldn't give you the how hot and humid the summer is. I know you have heat and humidity on the east coast, but I don't think it's as constant as the Houston summers.

I have to admit that I don't agree with the heavily religious comment on Houston. I grew up and lived there until about 14 years ago and return to visit my family often.

I have never felt that it is a highly religious city. I am Catholic and have friends of many different faiths and have never noticed any of us being treated any differently for such. I personally feel that it is the same as any other major city with regards to religion.

Have never lived in Houston but stayed on business for various lengths of time at least a dozen times.

First, the heat is completely unbearable n the summer.

Second it is a very unattractive area of the country - flat, boring - little to see (versus New York State - which is absolutely beautiful).

Can't comment on housing costs but my understanding is educaton is a mjaor issue in many areas.

(My cousin lived there for about 6 years when her husband was posted there and they said most schools were poor to mediocre - and they had to look very carefully to find a decent school system without breaking the bank on housing - vs VA where they lived before).

I've been to Dallas in July so I assume the heat is similarly stifling in Houston.

Yes I agree about the landscape - very flat and boring. I love the ocean, mountains, variety of landscapes. My roots are Mediterranean so California reminded me of that environment in many ways.

Houston also has many of the problems expected of a large city...not to mention being so susceptible to flooding and hurricanes.

I'll have a better idea when I visit, for now I am enjoying the great feedback, thanks to all.

I lived an eternity in Houston for three years. Summers were unbearably hot and humid. My wife considered the socio-cultural climate to be unacceptable as well; if you did not go to church or temple, you were considered weird. In terms of weather, Santa Barbara would be the ideal, with the coastal areas of San Diego a close second.

A previous post mentioned that SoCal is expensive for a reason; Houston is - or at least appears to be - cheap for a reason. Several reasons, actually.
One is that it is a relatively "new" city with lots of undeveloped area. Related to that is the total lack of zoning and the very strong political influence of real estate developers. They build cookie cutter developments and McMansions with super high density (e.g., you are on top of your neighbor)in areas where the infrastructure lags, so you wind up with nasty traffic. Of course, that is also typical of SoCal.
The other thing to keep in mind is the tax sructure. Texans brag that there is no state income tax, but there ARE all sorts of other taxing districts - county, hospital district, water/utility district, school district, junior college district, bridge and flood district, etc. that all add up quickly.
Another thing to keep in mind is that real estate appreciation rates in Texas tend to be much lower - nowhere near what you see in SoCal. So if you are buying a property in Houston, count on living in it and not making it an investment.
To be fair, the weather is only truly horrid 2-3 months out of the year. Another 2-3 it is just unpleasant, and the remaining 6 months is tolerable to absolutely delightful. And in SoCal ther ARE bad weather days - ask some in San Diego about the grey fog doldrums.
As for the hyperreligiousness thing, there certainly are communities where that may be an issue but it's a big enough city that there is a little bit of everything. In the business community most of the power is vested in white males who stress conformity, but that is true just about everywhere.
Culturally, Houston offers some oustanding things, much more than it gets credit for. There are fine resident ballet, symphony, opera and theatre companies and a nice arts district with some great performance spaces, along with a fair amount of local theatre. There are also some nice museums, including the recently expanded Art Museum. The restaurant scene is terrific - something for everyone in all price ranges.

Another downside of being a "new city" is the lack of a lot of history - one joke is that in Houston, "historic" means the paint is dry. There ARE some historic things, just not as much as in cities with a longer history. To be fair, most SoCal cities don't have much in this regard, either, aside from some old Spanish missions in the area (and the Houston area can also boast things from that era, too.)

So, having said all that, I have not looked back since leaving Houston and confess that I still think of it as the largest trailer park in the country, just one with enough money to buy some trappings of sophistication. I could survive if I had to live there again, just would rather not.

I don't view Houston as being overly religious. I live in the burbs and it isn't an issue in my workplace or social circles.

Just a question to the lovely people that live in Houston...
The news states that the crime rate has risen dramatically over the last year and they state it is due to Katrina...do you all notice it? Has it affected you?
Thank you!

I would say the "Katrina effect" varies by part of town. There are certainly areas that have been impacted greater than my general area. There is no doubt that there has been an increase in crime in the general Houston area.

My sister has noticed the increase in crime over the last year, as well. It is not in her area since she is in the suburbs, but she has noticed an increase in certain areas, as moldyhotels stated.

You may want to compare Southern California to Austin instead of Houston. You'll find very few negative comments about Austin.

tonianyc, this is quite a comparison. I grew up in Texas and right now I am living in California (and lived in NYC for a short stint), but I can't wait to get back to Texas. I have loved living in California but the price of everything is SHOCKING! Everything that has been mentioned about San Diego and Santa Barbara is true. It is beautiful and fun etc.

bkluvsNola is right Austin would be a better comparison because people just fall in love with Austin. Even people in Texas have very strong opinions about Houston (good and very bad). It may have grueling summers but the winters are amazing, it is basically fall weather from October to January, a little winter weather in February and spring from March to May.

The last thing I will say is based on your comment that you want a friendly place where people say hello, Texas is your place. California is way nicer than New York but you just can't beat the friendliness in Texas.

Looking at your comments it sounds like you really want to move to Houston. You can always visit San Diego and Santa Barbara after you save all that money on living in Texas.

I heve two general comments:
My daughter, a native Californian (Northern), has enjoyed her time in Austin so far. She has found the hot summers grueling. She is anxious to get back to CA next year, even with higher housing costs.
SGBrou- Where in CA did you live? I'm puzzled by the friendlier comment, and it's hard to generlize that one state is friendlier than another. It varies from place to place in all states.

While it does get hot in Austin, the hottest days are usually dry, and there are plenty of places where you can cool off. My favorite thing to do on the hottest of the hot days is to go to Barton Springs, which is a natural spring fed pool that is a constant 68 degrees. There is nothing more refreshing than swimming in that cold natural pool when it's 100+ degrees outside. It's simply paradise, and I'm literally refreshed for the rest of the day after that.

Hamilton Pool is another popular "swimmming hole" that has a waterfall, a pebbly beach and clear water.

Boating/water sports are very popular because of the long summers. They are a great sport!

Another option for the more risky is to go to Hippie Hollow and sunbathe and swim "au natural". It's a great way to pass the summer ;)

By the way, which part of CA do you live in now trippinkpj?

Avoid Houston, definately consider Austin. Coming from New York you will find the political and social climate much more open, accepting and comfortable. It is a young, active city with a great music scene. Dallas may be an option for you as well, but Austin is comparable to San Diego for quality of life. Enjoy the lakes, run, walk, wakeboard, kayak... go to gallery openings, hang out on Sixth Street. You will love Austin!!

As a kid/teen, I lived outside of Houston (near Clear Lake) and also outside of LA (near Anaheim). Both times in the suburbs.

Houston was very hot and humid. My school system was absolutely fabulous academically. (As our house was newly built in an area of fields, we had huge cockroaches that would unexpectedly run across the room. That took some getting used to. I also remember the hills of fire ants scattered throughout the newly planted yard.)

LA has gorgeous weather and a laid-back lifestyle. It is also expensive, smoggy, crowded and many people's commutes are very long. There is a huge variety of things to do. My school system, which is known as one of the better ones, was not very good - I would say it was a great social experience, but I did not progress too much academically (although there are some very good teachers, I thought the curriculum was not very challenging and expectations were low).

People in both locations were great. Californians were definitely more laid-back.

I'll add to the pile-on....

If real estate cost were the only factor, Houston.

Anything else? Southern California. By a few thousand miles.

San Diego has plenty of culture (one of the country's leading regional theatres is there), as do Santa Barbara and Houston. The scenery is often breathtaking (the coast at La Jolla is gorgeous) in SD and SB. The only thing that can take your breath away in Houston is the summer humidity. And, once in a while, the smog.

I have cousins that live in Houston and love it. I will also pointedly add that they've never been outside of the two-state area of Louisiana and Texas. And they love having a HUGE house to get away from each other. So they're in Heaven.

You have to hit Houston in the dead of summer, and southern CA in the winter (where it may get down to a chilly 50 at night!), to gauge your tolerance of the extremes. The economics of the move are your call.